Knowledge and practice of iodized salt utilization among reproductive women in Addis Ababa City

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess knowledge and practice of iodized salt utilization among reproductive women in Addis Ababa city. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 549 households. A sample district was designated by using the simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected by a face-to-face interview and household salt was tested to check whether its practice was good. p < 0.2 in the bivariate logistic regression was entered into the multivariable logistic regression, and p < 0.05 was considered as significantly associated.ResultsMothers who had good knowledge and practice of iodized salt were 78% (95% CI 74.9, 81.2) and 76.3% (95% CI 72.7, 79.8), respectively. Monthly household income (AOR = 2.97; 95% CI 1.20, 7.37) was associated with knowledge of iodized salt of respondents. Similarly, educational status (AOR = 2.45; 95% CL 2.10, 6.43) of respondents was significantly associated with the practice of iodized salt. This study indicated that increasing the level of knowledge and practice of iodized salt was good. Monthly household income and educational status were associated with knowledge and practices of iodized salt of respondents. Hence, improving mothers’ education is a highly recommended strategy for addressing public health problems of iodine deficiency.

Spatial Distribution and Determinants of Household Iodized Salt Utilization in Ethiopia: A Spatial and Multilevel Analysis of Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey

“…The odds of iodized salt utilization among households with middle wealth index were higher compared with the poorest once. Our nding is consistent with the nding of many other studies in Ethiopia (19,26,27,29). This might be due to the reason that those households with poorest wealth index are facing economic constraint for buying iodized salt; iodized salt is less likely to be found in poor households due to its relatively higher cost (37).…”

“…Similarly, those households who were from high community education level had higher chance of iodized salt use compared with households from low community education level. This nding is similar with the result of other pocket studies in Ethiopia (24,(26)(27)(28). This could be due to participants who had education are more likely to be knowledgeable on the use of iodized salt than those who did not have education (26,(34)(35)(36).…”

“…This low educational status of the two regions might lead to low prevalence of household iodized salt utilization in these regions. This is because low education level is usually associated with low level of community awareness on prevention of IDDs, the bene ts of iodized salt and its utilization (26,27). Moreover, the salt content of drinking water in Afar and Somali regions is high compared to other regions (33).…”

“…Several factors are known to affect iodized salt utilization. Most importantly, being female, married (19,20), having knowledge on IDD and iodized salt (19,(21)(22)(23)(24)(25), higher educational status (24,(26)(27)(28), and higher monthly income (26,27,29) are signi cantly associated with iodized salt utilization.…”

Socio-demographic correlates of availability of adequate iodine in household salt: a community-based cross-sectional study

“…Against our expectation, the respondent's knowledge of iodized salt and handling practices had no statistically significant association with the availability of adequate iodine in household salt. A previous similar study in Addis Ababa, however, reported that level of the knowledge does not affect the availability of adequately iodized salt in household salt [20]. We justify our finding by fact that, in the year when this study was conducted, several firms were producing and distributing salt to consumers with unregulated quality [21], and hence access to mixed quality of iodized salt may underestimate the effect of consumer's knowledge about iodized salt and handling practice in maintaining iodine in household salt.…”